How to Create Cupid's Bow and Arrow With Home Materials?

Cupid is a mythological character often portrayed as a baby or child firing heart-tipped arrows to make people fall in love. A cute bow and arrow are the perfect finishing touch in a Cupid costume for Halloween or Valentine's Day. With just a few common household items and basic craft supplies you can create a toy bow and arrow prop. Note that this craft creates a toy bow and arrow that is meant to be used as a costume prop, not actually fire arrows.

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Things You'll Need

Plastic coat hanger

Saw

File or sandpaper (optional)

Newspapers

Flour

Water

Spray paint or tempera paint

Dowel

Glue

Red craft foam or construction paper

Saw the coat hanger's hook off. If there is a horizontal cross-bar at the bottom of the hanger, saw it off as well. File or sand down any rough edges.

Mix one part flour to four parts water to make paper-mache paste.

Tear strips of newspaper, dip them into the paper-mache paste and wind them around the hanger until it is completely covered. Keep layering newspaper until the hanger has the desired thickness and shape, allowing the paper mache to dry thoroughly after every two to three layers.

Tie the string tightly to the ends of the bow before applying the last layers of paper mache, then wrap the knots in paper mache to secure them.

Paint the bow red, gold or the color of your choice with spray paint or tempera paint. If desired, paint the dowel (which will become the arrow shaft) as well.

Cut four small hearts out of construction paper or craft foam. Glue two to each end of the dowel, with the points of the hearts pointing inward on one end and outward on the other to form the arrow's fletching and arrowhead.

Tips & Warnings

Use white scrap paper instead of newspaper for the final layer of paper mache to make it easier to paint the bow your desired color.